After a bit of a hiatus from local diving due to travel, classes, bad weather, and more bad weather, we were finally able to find a day to get back out on the ocean for some fun diving on this weekend's BAUE charter.
We ended up motoring down the coast with an eye on the decidedly muck-colored water. Finally, somewhere around Point Lobos, the water color started to clear to a friendlier blueish-green tint, which looked promising for diving. We ended up at a small pair of pinnacles that we had visited about 2 yrs ago called Grand Sabana. The larger of the 2 pinnacles goes from about 200' to 150', with a small spire up to 130', and the smaller side pinnacle is more in the 170'-210' range. We deployed from the boat to find relatively clear (but cold) water with little to no surface current
We quickly made our descent and started around the main pinnacle before jumping to the East toward the smaller pinnacle. We played around in the sand finding a bunch of sea pens and a Tritonia diomedea (my first in the Monterey area) as well as a basket star, juvenile yelloweye and tons of juvenile lings. We spent about 20 minutes on the deeper pinnacle before returning to the main pinnacle for awhile before finishing up our bottom time and beginning our ascent. On our 20' stop, we were greeted by a curious bird swimming by.
I'm way out of practice with the camera
, but some pictures here.
Hopefully this weekend will bring as good or better diving
We ended up motoring down the coast with an eye on the decidedly muck-colored water. Finally, somewhere around Point Lobos, the water color started to clear to a friendlier blueish-green tint, which looked promising for diving. We ended up at a small pair of pinnacles that we had visited about 2 yrs ago called Grand Sabana. The larger of the 2 pinnacles goes from about 200' to 150', with a small spire up to 130', and the smaller side pinnacle is more in the 170'-210' range. We deployed from the boat to find relatively clear (but cold) water with little to no surface current
We quickly made our descent and started around the main pinnacle before jumping to the East toward the smaller pinnacle. We played around in the sand finding a bunch of sea pens and a Tritonia diomedea (my first in the Monterey area) as well as a basket star, juvenile yelloweye and tons of juvenile lings. We spent about 20 minutes on the deeper pinnacle before returning to the main pinnacle for awhile before finishing up our bottom time and beginning our ascent. On our 20' stop, we were greeted by a curious bird swimming by.
I'm way out of practice with the camera
, but some pictures here.Hopefully this weekend will bring as good or better diving
